Many of us can’t go for a run without our trusty headphones and while music can do the trick in keeping us focused and motivated for the distance ahead, podcasts are also great for zoning us in and giving us something for our mind to concentrate on while we keep a steady pace.
Luckily there’s a wide selection of podcasts just for this reason which are designed to keep your pace consistent while providing enough entertainment to make your run that bit more enjoyable and engaging/
With such a wide selection however it can be hard to find out what running podcasts provide the best content while on the go, so to narrow it down here are the best running podcasts that you can tune in to right now.
#1 A Runner’s Life Podcast
Host Marcus Brown presents this podcast which is perfect for runners who want to learn more about the personal stories of some of the most prolific athletes while you run.
Coming out in weekly installments and with every episode being at least an hour, it is the perfect listen for a medium distance run and with a focus on the impact running has on our everyday life.
A Runner’s Life is incredibly encouraging to listen to while on the go which is only made better by the endless charisma of host Marcus Brown who in the running world is often referred to as “Marathon Marcus”.
#2 Humans Of Ultrarunning
Never will you see such a collection of the most extreme athletes like you will in Humans of Ultrarunning, a podcast dedicated to exploring the depths of human experience while running by chatting with some of the most daring runners out there.
Whether it’s running 200+ miles through the Australian outback or setting the speed record on the Arizona Trail, each episode is filled with fascinating stories that are sure to give you that extra boost while you listen.
#3 Ten Percent Happier With Dan Harris
After having a panic attack live on air in 2004, Dan Harris entered a journey of self discovery and improvement.
In each episode of his podcast, Harris and his guests discuss how they find happiness, and what methods they take to better themselves and their wellbeing.
This is a hugely motivational podcast to listen to while running, with discussions that will keep our mind focused and clear while we run, alongside teaching us a thing or two about other mindful activities such as yoga and meditation which we can also experiment with to help improve our mental state.
#4 TED Health
Just like the TED Talks many of us have seen pop up on Youtube at least a few times, TED Health features deep thinkers, intellectuals and innovators giving a personal but encouraging lecture surrounding the chosen topics.
In TED HEALTH’s case, the entire podcast is based around health in every sense of the word with each episode taking a deep and intrinsic analysis of what is beneficial for us, our body and our mind, and what is better left out of our daily habits.
#5 Another Mother Runner
The quirky and charismatic Sarah Bowen Shea hosts this mom friendly podcast centered around overcoming the stresses, worries and anxieties in our regular lives.
Each episode is a lot of fun to listen to as Sarah shares great info for improving your running distance, casual chatter about what’s been happening in our lives outside of the running paths, and answering general questions such as what other sports are incredibly accessible for runners.
Another Mother Runner makes sure everyone feels comfortable while running and is a fun and comforting podcast that will still make sure you’re keeping a good focused pace when it needs to.
#6 The Rambling Runner
In this podcast, Matt Chittim provides light conversations about our dedication and love for running and how that fits in our jobs, family, friends and our other hobbies in a rabble styled discussion which replicates the feeling of a close buddy running alongside you.
Most of the charm of this podcast comes from Matt Chittim who manages to both give solo discussions, but also interviews with some of the greats in running to form a podcast that is just so relatable and so much fun to listen to while on a medium to long run.
Summary
Next time you go for a run, try out some of these podcasts and see which suits your personal running experience the best.
Whether it’s purely expert encouragement you’re looking for, or just a casual voice in your headphones that helps keep you focused and grounded while keeping a good pace, there is a huge selection of running podcasts that is only growing with time, so it can always be a fun idea to branch out and experiment.
